The present invention is related to log retrieval equipment and more particularly to such equipment utilizing a winehline or dragline that is extended out from a landing or towing vehicle to the vicinity of cut logs where "chokers"are set about the individual cut logs and dragged back to the landing area.
A choker assembly ordinarily includes a length of wire rope that is operatively connected to a towing apparatus or winch. One end of the choker includes a hook or other mechanism by which a loop may be formed in the rope about the circumference of a cut log. Usually a quick disconnect type "choker hook"is utilized to improve speed in setting the choker about a log.
Once the choker is "set"the assembly and attached log may be pulled to a landing area where the choker is released and the log is loaded onto a truck. Often, several choker assemblies are utilized on a single towing line or winchline. When this is the case, a winchline is utilized that has a large ball or "ferrule"fixed to its free end. The individual choker assemblies are slidably mounted to the winchline by "sliders". Ordinarily, each choker rope is permanently affixed to a slider or may be provided with a choker ferrule that will removably fit within a complementary opening in the sliding link. It is well known that breaking of the choker line will most frequently occur at or near the slider. Both types of sliders present problems when the choker rope breaks due to wear or excessive force applied.
It is desirable to obtain some form of choker assembly which, if the choker rope wears or breaks, may be replaced or refitted to the slider in the field location. Previous choker assemblies require that the ferrule be replaced by a swaging machine, or that new "babbitt"or other filler material be repoured to anchor the choker end to the slider. Either of these methods require considerable time. Especially, the ferrule type connections must be produced at a service shop where there is a large swage press required to perform this function. There has also been some difficulty with the babbitt type connections since they have not proven to be sufficiently strong to hold under excessive loads. The broken cable and babbitt material must be removed from the slider before a new choker end can be placed in the appropriate slider aperture. The entire slider member must then be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the babbitt material and allow it to run from the choker rope receiving opening. In doing so, the slider material and rope strands may become annealed or otherwise weakened at critical stress points.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,649,654 describes a tow line wherein a hook is affixed to a wire rope by an expanded rope end that is probably impregnated with a babbitt material such as zinc.
U.S. Pat. No. 917,738 discloses a choker line for log hauling cables. This assembly uses a looped end of a choker line to receive or be connected to a hauling cable with the remaining end mounting a ferrule. It is disclosed that the ferrule is connected to the cable by babbitt material "as usually done".
U.S. Pat. No. 2,793,066 discloses a choker link wherein a choker rope is permanently connected by securing an end of the rope within a receiving aperture of the link, fraying the ends of the interwoven strands, and then pouring the opening full of a "high grade babbitt after the manner in which such connections are habitually made at the ends of cables".
U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,093 discloses a choker hook for logging operations wherein a ferrule is connected permanently to the free end of a choker line. The choker line, however,is first threaded through an appropriate aperture in the choker hook. Then the rope end is inserted through the ferrule and is attached by fraying the rope end and pouring the ferrule full of a molten babbitt material. Once the babbitt material hardens, it securely holds the ferrule at the choker end. The ferrule will not permit movement of the choker end through the small sized hook opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,651,081 discloses a choker hook that has a removable choker line. Again, the choker line includes at its free end a ferrule that is either connected by babbitt material or is swaged onto the cable end to provide a permanent connection thereto. The advantage of this arrangement is that the choker line may be removably attached to the winchline slide. Thus any selected number of choker assemblies may be easily maintained on the winchline.
Other examples of choker assemblies and choker hooks may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,959,985; 1,446,781; 2,518,276; 1,764,175; 2,215,023; 2,828,156; 1,464,162; and Canadian Pat. No. 483,585.
Of the above cited patents, none disclose a choker assembly without a ferrule rope end by which the choker rope may be selectively removed from the winchline slider. Although these existing assemblies may be serviceable, it is desirable to obtain some form of choker assembly that, if the choker rope becomes damaged, may be easily repaired in the field without the use of babbitt material or a swage press.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a choker assembly which will enable quick and efficient field repair of a choker rope connection on a winchline slider.
It is a further object to provide such a choker assembly wherein there are no more operational parts or elements involved than those being presently utilized with existing assemblies.
A still further object is to provide such a choker assembly that does not require the use of special tools to effect field repairs on the winchline slider connection.
These and still further objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description which, taken with the accompanying drawings, disclose a preferred form thereof. It should be noted however, that the following description is not intended in any way to limit the scope of this invention and that only the claims attached at the end of the specification are to be taken as such restrictions and as definitions of the present invention.